Family Drama and the First Day Back

"Good morning, Lisa. It’s been ages! How have you been?" James called out as he walked past Lisa’s desk. He looked slightly groggy and was clutching a double espresso.

Lisa sighed, looking wiped out. "I’m still half asleep, James. I had a good holiday, but honestly, I need a holiday after my holiday. My two neices stayed at my house the entire time, and they have so much energy. I’m running on empty."

James laughed, though he looked a bit out of it himself. "I get it. My house was chaos too. We had a huge family dinner, and my sister felt sensitive because she thought we left her out of the vacation planning. She felt a bit blue and started talking behind people’s back during the meal. It was so dramatic."

"Family drama is the worst," Lisa agreed, her eyes feeling foggy as she stared at her laptop. "I’m so behind on everything. I have a mountain of paperwork to catch up on, but I’m not feeling it at all. I’m still in holiday mode."

"I know what you mean," James said. "I’m trying to switch into work mode, but my brain is sluggish. I’ve got so much housework to catch up on too. My kitchen is a mess. It’s definitely back to the grind now, but I’m just going to take it easy today. It’s my first day, after all."

Lisa nodded, trying to find her focus. "Same here. I’m going to ease into it by organizing my inbox first. If I try to hit the ground running, I’ll probably crash by lunch. I’m just feeling kind of meh."

"Well, let's just try to be caught up on the basics by 5 PM," James encouraged. "Back to reality, right? Let's catch up over coffee properly when we both feel a bit more awake."